Page 17 of TBR: Dead But Well Read

Pressing my ear against the cool metal, I closed my eyes and tried to listen for a voice I recognized. Imagine how terrible it would be if I unlocked the door to a group of robbers? Or worse, a pack of raccoons looking for trouble? Robbers would take whatever electronics they could find and the meager contents of the cash drawer.

Raccoons would climb all over the shelves, wrecking my precious books. The chubby masked marauders were like vampires—once they were invited inside, it was almost impossible to get them out.

“Lochlan, I thought you?—”

Hearing Loch’s name was all the assurance I needed. Flipping the deadbolt on the door, I gathered my energy and twisted the door handle.

As soon as the door began to creak on its hinges, I hid myself in the shadows and hurried to the upstairs reading nook where I’d stashed my book.

I’d helped, thus proving I was a good ghost. Heck, I might have changed my name to Caspera. Yep, I was going to leave the stray ghost wrangling to the professionals.

Blowing out a long sigh, I released the tension in my body and curled up on the worn velvet reading chaise.

I flipped open the book and began to read.

What if they got lost in the library?

Stop being stupid, Axe. These men have been doing this longer than you’ve been dead.

My eyes slid over the words on the page, barely taking in what I was reading.

Maybe I should have told them about the giant, scowling guy I’d seen in the library after Lochlan. Caught up in my book, I’d given him a quick once over, then assumed he was one of Rhodes or Lochlan’s buddies.

But something about him had been tickling the back of my brain, leaving me slightly unsettled. I replayed the memory of him glancing over his shoulder at me before he’d left the library. Every hair on my body had stood on end and the temperature around me had dropped to near freezing levels.

Tonight, Lochlan and Rhodes had struggled to unlock the door. Which meant Collectors had to go through doors.

Since I’d watched the purple-eyed stranger walk through a wall, he couldn’t have been a collector.

The man hadn’t been like any ghost I’d encountered since my death. Closing my book, I popped my knuckles and tried to recall every detail I could about him. It didn’t help, and I still had zero clue what he was.

The guy hadn’t appeared until after Lochlan had left. Was he purposely avoiding the collectors? Did Rhodes and Lochlan even know that another paranormal being was loitering around the library? What if the stranger was the one causing the ghoststo congregate in town? The guys could be walking into very real danger while I relaxed with fictional drama.

My stomach churned, something it hadn’t done since I’d eaten bad sushi a week before my premature demise. Wasabi appeared from beneath the chair, peering up at me with his shiny black eyes. Then the ungrateful rodent nipped the bottom of my foot.

“Hey! Stop that!” I scolded, quickly pulling my foot up onto the chair.

Wasabi was undeterred, scampering onto the chaise and nipping harder at my foot.

“What is wrong with you? Have you been sharing secondhand breadsticks with the raccoon in the alley again? We agreed he was sus, and probably rabid.” I tapped Wasabi’s nose and gave him what I hoped was a stern glare.

The famous talking mouse wasn’t the only rodent that wore pants, because Wasabi seemed to be wearing the pants in our relationship. Unbothered by my disapproval, he bit me again.

“That’s it. I’m going ghost!” I yelped, stifling the emotional energy that had caused my form to stabilize enough that I could interact with Wasabi.

I swear the chubby cheese boy rolled his eyes.

“Maybe I’ll let them call the exterminator next time Bertha catches you stealing a midday snack.” My threat lacked any heat, and Wasabi knew it.

He hopped off the chair and took off toward the storage room.

“Okay, Lassie. Let’s go save them.” I made the comment in jest, not seriously thinking it was possible the two perfect specimens of manhood could actually need my help.

If they were searching for books with tropes like enemies to lovers, second chance romance, morally gray heroes, fated mates, vampire royalty, fake relationships, jilted brides, lovetriangles, forced proximity, or reverse harem… I was the ghostess with the mostest.

If they wanted recommendations for books with the most unique male anatomy… I held the world’s only PHD on the subject. And by PHD, I meant I was the Poltergeist of Hung Dudes. Or was it Phantom of Huge Dicks?

If they wanted a romance that would give them a good cry… I could suggest several books capable of causing heartache that would haunt them for years.

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